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You are here: Home / Archives for Claudia

Up On the Rooftop

December 23, 2019 at 10:11 am by Claudia

Is everyone calm? Or are you feeling frazzled? Or somewhere in between?

I’m fairly calm, though a teeny bit of frazzled has appeared as I have to go out today to get one more thing for Don. I’m feeling better, but still not tip-top (neither is Don.) This thing hangs on a while, but I think the worst is over. So I have to get one more present and that should be it.

We had our usual wrangle this morning over how many presents we’re giving each other. I keep saying that the vintage dollhouse is my present – it is!-and he doesn’t have to give me anything else. He wants to make sure he’s giving me the same amount of presents that I’m giving him. Then I reiterate that this year is different. I have my present and it came early. Finally, I said if he wants to give me three little things from the dollar store, that would be fine. Sigh.

Yesterday was sunny and much warmer and today it’s going to hit 50. Crazy. But I’m not complaining!

We watched It’s a Wonderful Life  last night. My favorite Christmas movie – no question. Cried my eyes out, of course – that never changes. I’m not a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, nor of modern movies like Elf, though I saw it once and can appreciate it. They just don’t make our list of Must-See Christmas Classics. I think the only more recent movie that we love is A Christmas Story. We also watched Miracle on 34th Street  the other night. The black and white version, of course. Same goes for It’s a Wonderful Life. I don’t think any movies should be colorized if they were originally shot in black and white. Everything; the sets, the lighting, the camera work, costumes, was executed with the highlights and shadows of black and white in mind.

I love TCM and I’m grateful to Ted Turner for that wonderful channel, but not for his mission to colorize movies that were part of that great era of filmmaking.

I have to get going. I always forget that it gets dark so early, so I want to get out there and take care of my errands soon.

Added: If any of you follow Susan of the blog Ash Tree Cottage, please say a prayer for her. She has been in the hospital fighting an infection and in the course of her treatment, doctors found a renal mass that might have spread to her liver. Susan is a longtime blogging friend. She and her husband David need our prayers. Thank you.

Happy Monday.

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas, Don, movies, vintage, Vintage by Crystal 40 Comments

Solstice Sunset

December 22, 2019 at 11:15 am by Claudia

A quick one today as I was delayed in writing this post. An unexpected Face Time call from Little Z took precedence.

The photo is of last night’s sunset. Pretty magical for Winter Solstice.

I’m still under the weather – one moment feeling better, the next worse. Typical cold. I am sleeping a lot and that’s a good thing. I did run out yesterday to get one thing for Don and today I’ll stay home. Then back out tomorrow for a couple of little things.

I’m hoping this gets to you who follow via email. The emails have been going out earlier than usual and I have no control over that. Fingers crossed!

Today the daytime temperature will be in the forties and we can finally get rid of some of the ice that has been here all week. It’s also beautifully sunny out there.

Don just gave Z a tour of the house; the Christmas tree, the photos of Z that we have on the refrigerator, Don’s mini studio, and the antique dollhouse. He loved it.

Okay, friends. More tomorrow.

Happy Sunday.

 

Filed Under: Little Z, winter 16 Comments

Potpourri on Saturday

December 21, 2019 at 10:39 am by Claudia

• Still frigid here. Between the massive amount of snow we got on December 1-2, the snowfalls that have turned into sleet and ice, and the now frigid weather, we feel like we’ve been through a long winter already, yet winter doesn’t even start until today! It’s surreal. Tomorrow is the day we’re looking forward to. 45 degrees. The ice that has been here all week will finally  start to melt. The good news is that the predicted sleet and freezing rain for Monday has disappeared from the forecast. Thank goodness!

• I felt much better yesterday. Today, not so good. And so it goes with a cold, right? I just have to be patient (not my strong point.)

• We watched White Christmas  last night. I love that movie. It was the first of our list of holiday movies that will take us through Christmas Eve. That scene in the inn when Dean Jagger comes into the  room in his old uniform and we hear “Ten-hut!” and all of the soldiers start to sing “We’ll follow the old man, wherever he wants to go…” makes me cry every time I see it.

• In the mail yesterday:

Starbush Santa – the Vintage by Crystal creation that I snagged in her latest blog sale. As always, her work is exquisite. How she comes up with so many different creations every year, every holiday, I don’t know. But I am and will always be a huge fan of her work.

• And a screenshot from a Little Z video sent to us this week. He likes to tell us jokes and was just about to launch into one when I inadvertently took this shot (I’m glad I did.)

He’s so beautiful. And funny, and incredibly smart, and a pistol! We are in love with that boy.

• I’ve started reading The Seine; the River that Made Paris. I’ve been missing Paris lately so it seemed like the perfect time to read it.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Little Z, Paris, Vintage by Crystal 26 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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